of government. In whatever way you take it, it is applicable to the head, not to the collec tive body of the empire; ver. 4. " And they "worshipped the beast," cannot in any tolerable sense apply to the whole body of the empire; but the application of it to the head is obvious; for it is perfectly confiftent with truth, that the veneration for the Roman fee rose to an idolatrous adoration of its poffeffor; ver. 5. "And "there was given unto him a mouth speaking 66 great things, and blafphemies." This aptly represents the unbounded fupremacy claimed by the head, and the idolatrous doctrines and practices recommended by him. True it is, that the blafphemies uttered by this monster were swallowed by the empire; but the character given here is, not the receiving but the uttering of them, ver. 7. "And it was given to "him to make war with the faints, and to over"come them." On this character chiefly, Mede founds his idea, that the collective body of the fecular empire is here intended; because the perfons deemed heretics were put to death, in all parts, and by all the princes of the empire.

They were fo, but ftill it was by the inftigation of the fee of Rome, who employed for this purpose decrees, and enforced thofe decrees by interdicts and excommunications; nay, even fometimes

fometimes deprived the fecular princes of their territories, for neglecting to purge their dominions of the pretended heretics. As in a living creature the act of the members is afcribed to the head, by whofe will they move; and particularly, an animal having horns, pushes with his horns, by the direction of the head which carries them : So here the perfecution carried on in all parts, and by all the princes of the empire, is afcribed to the head, by whofe nod they are moved. "And power was given him over “all kindreds, tongues, nations, and lan

guages." It is not true, that the collective body of the empire has power over all nations, or a part of all nations; but it is literally true, that the fee of Rome has difpatched emiffaries to all the corners of the known world, whofe chief business is to inculcate the doctrine of the Pope's fupremacy, and in all countries they have made fome profelytes, fo that a part of all kindredsto ngues, nations, and languages, have fubmitted themselves to this feventh head of the Roman empire.

Having thus afcertained, that by the first beast, the fpirit of prophecy understands the seventh or laft head of the Roman empire'; let us fee how the characters given, fo far as they respect the form of government, accord to the papacy. The characters are thefe: That he should exer

cise a form of government, diftinct from all thofe exercised in that city before: That he should be contemporary with several separate independent kingdoms, erected out of the diffolution of the empire: That the territory of this prince should be small, compared with the other divifions of the empire; for he is called the Little Ilorn, and confequently very fmall, compared with the ancient empire in its undivided state; yet that his power fhould be abfolute over the contemporary kings, within the compafs of the empire, and should in some measure extend over all nations.

Were we to form conjectures concerning this prophecy, before it was accomplished, we would be disposed to think, that some of the characters here given are inconfiftent with others. Does it not appear contrary to our ideas of human nature, as it has been unheard of in the annals of the world, that a petty prince should abfolutely command several other princes, each of whom had larger dominions and more forces than him; yet by the event every character is verified. It is obvious that a prince now refides in the city of Rome, whose predeceffors in office have refided in it as the feat of their government above a thousand years:. That the form of his government is different from every form exercised in that city before: That

he

he arofe to the height of his power upon the ruins of the divided empire, and has existed all along contemporary with the kingdoms erected out of its diffolution: That his territory is fmall, compared with the dominions of the contemporary princes. Yet it is beyond all controverfy, that this petty prince has claimed and exercised the moft unlimited authority over the contemporary princes of the empire, by taxing their fubjects," infulting their perfons, and depriving them at times of their dominions; while his emiffaries, numerous as gnats in the fummer-fun, have fpread themselves over all nations, and every where made fome profelytes to the doctrine of his fupremacy. The ten horns make another part of Antichrift's government; they are reprefented in the vifion, as growing on the feventh head, confequently moveable by his nod; they are at the fame time represented with crowns, to intimate that they are independent kingdoms. The mystery and apparent inconfiftency of this reprefentation is cleared up by the angel interpreter, chap. xvii. 12, 13. 17. "The ten horns which thou faweft are ten kings, "which have received no kingdom as yet, but " receive power as kings one hour (at the fame time) with the beaft. These have one mind, (the fame mind) and shall give their ftrength "and power unto the beaft ;-for God hath put

"in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree "and give their kingdom to the beast, until the "words of God be fulfilled." He fhews that these kingdoms fhould not be fubject to the civil dominion of the feventh head, either as natural fubjects, or as conquered kingdoms, but fhould be independent of him, and of each other; yet that they would, by a voluntary submission, contribute their power to fupport his authority; particularly in perfecuting the faithful followers of Chrift. "Thefe fhall make war with the "Lamb." The event has fully juftified the vision and the interpretation. The kingdoms of Europe constitute no part of the territory subject to the Bishop of Rome; many of the fovereigns of Europe, even in a dark and fuperftitious age refused to hold their kingdoms as fiefs of the Roman fee; but they voluntarily submitted to his spiritual jurisdiction, and became his ready agents in extirpating pretended heretics out of their dominions. They gave their power to fupport his sentences; they gave the authority of their laws, and the force of their arms. The perfons denounced heretic by him, they put to death, by private affaffinations and by public executions; nay, they levied armies at his inftigation, and facrificed thousands of their inoffenfive fubjects as victims of papal cruelty. In the year 1209, the Count of Thoulouse was reprefen:ed